Indelible

This is a piece of my story, the first story of my blog series, and the title for which the site itself is named. God's blueprint on my life determines my worth and my destiny. As you read, my prayer is that it will help you realize God's imprint on your life and become all that He has created you to be.

Indelible ……I recently woke up one morning with this word floating through my mind. Where did this thought come from and what does it mean exactly?  Has that ever happened to you? You catch yourself thinking about some random word or idea out of nowhere?  I can’t say it happens to me often, but when it does, it intrigues me and I must pursue it.  I personally believe these thoughts are God-inspired, and He desires for me to chase them down and discover their meaning and/or purpose.  So, I looked up the definition.  I had a basic idea of what it meant, but no real understanding of how powerful this little word could really be.

Indelible:  (adjective) making marks that cannot be erased, removed, or the like; that cannot be eliminated, forgotten or changed.

After reading this, I immediately thought of a permanent marker.  But in all actuality, permanent markers really aren’t completely permanent. Depending on the surface on which they are used, in combination with the right chemical solution, marks made from a permanent marker can be removed. Crazy, right?  I know this because when my daughter was in the 5th grade, she won first place in the school science fair with this very experiment. That means they’re not indelible.  I mean if a permanent marker isn’t permanent, is there anything that is?  I’m so glad you asked!

I always try to find a spiritual application or parallel from practical, everyday ideas or events. Not spooky, weird stuff, but just discovering things like how this word and its meaning could apply to my life, my relationship with God and/ or my spiritual growth.  Doing so, also continually reminds me that God is in everything and He can be found anywhere we look.

‘Marks that cannot be erased, removed, or the like’.  Naturally, I first think of the mark God placed on my life when I accepted His Son, Jesus, as my Savior.  This ‘mark’ qualifies me for eternal life.  It also provides me access to the free gifts He offers to anyone who has received Him.  It is so significant that both heaven and hell recognize it.  It’s an everlasting mark that cannot be removed or taken from me, when I’m at my best or even when I’m at my worst. But before I received this mark, there was something else indelibly etched into my being.

Each of us is uniquely made, intricately crafted by the Creator of the universe Himself.  I love the following passage and how it describes the care and precision in which we were created. Psalm 139:13-15 (ESV) – ‘For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.  My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.’

Our uniqueness presents itself at the time we are born and becomes more apparent as we grow and develop.  Around the age of four or five, I began picking out nursery rhymes on a little toy organ that had been given to us.  I would also sing and make up songs of my own. The older I got, the more visible those traits became and eventually I found myself playing the piano in church, singing on the worship team and writing songs.  I was designed with gifts to sing, write and play an instrument. Gifts I will carry with me my entire life.  They can’t be eliminated from my DNA because they were woven into my very nature as God was creating me.

There was a season in my life that I chose not to use those gifts.  I had gone through some painful experiences and just decided I wasn’t going to do any of it anymore.  In fact, I even spoke the words out of my mouth that I will never do it again.  How selfish of me when I think back to that.  But do you know what?  Even though I sat those things on the shelf and pretended they didn’t exist anymore, the fact is, they did … and they were there waiting for me when I decided to pick them back up again. When I did, my voice didn’t forget how to sing on key and harmonize.  My fingers didn’t forget where to go to form a C chord or how to play Amazing Grace.  It was all still there because that’s how I was designed and created.

We have been marked with gifts and talents that cannot be eliminated, erased or removed. The reason those gifts are indelible is because they are ultimately wrapped up in His purpose for us.  If they could be removed, it’s very likely we would never become who we were truly meant to be, for it is through our gifts and talents we fulfill our purpose.  Indelible. That’s a pretty amazing word, isn’t it?

Are there gifts within you that maybe you’ve set aside or possibly even forgotten about?  I assure you, they are still there, even if you haven’t paid attention to them in a while.  The world needs you to share those gifts because only you know how to do what you do, the way you do it.  Sure, others can do what you do, but they can’t do it the way you do!

Today, I encourage you according to 2 Timothy 1:6-7 (NKJV)  6 “…to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

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Prayer:

Lord, help me recognize the gifts You've placed within me and not neglect them as being insignificant. For even the smallest gift, when submitted to You, can accomplish great things. My gifts are needed and necessary and may be the very thing that can help someone else. I was crafted by Your very hands and I choose to celebrate my unique and one-of-a-kind abilities that were designed just for me.